State Briefs 6/24/08

ROCKFORD — A man wearing nothing but his underclothes was rescued Monday night off an island of sorts in Sportscore One.

The 46-year-old man told Rockford firefighters he was attempting to rescue a dog when he entered the floodwaters from the Rock River, which have submerged most of the complex’s softball and soccer fields. The man was discovered on what District Chief Mark Schlanger called a “peninsula” near the boat ramp that had become an island after overflowing waters from the Rock River surrounded it.

“He had his shirt off. He was talking, and he said he was cold and needed a way to get back across the water,” Schlanger said. The Fire Department put a rubber raft in the water and safely retrieved the man.

“The story is he was trying to rescue a dog and the dog ended up drowning,” Schlanger said. “We never saw a dog.”

The man was warmed up in an ambulance and taken home by a Rockford Park District police officer.

Phyllis M. Wilkinson, 80, of Peoria, was a passenger in a vehicle which was struck broadside at the intersection of Illinois Route 40 and Osceola Road.

Stark County Deputy Steve Sloan said Wilkinson was riding in a car driven by Patricia K. Mallory, 73, of Waukegan.

Mallory was traveling west when she approached a two-way stop intersection. Donald Schick, 47, of Rock Falls, was headed south on Route 40 when Waukegan’s vehicle pulled in front of him, Sloan said.

Upon impact Mallory’s vehicle skidded sideways before rolling over and landing upright in a nearby field.

Wilkinson was pronounced dead at the scene by Stark County Deputy Coroner Robert Winn at 5:50 p.m.

Kewanee Star Courier

Cat buys Brazilian locomotive supplier

PEORIA – Caterpillar Inc. announced Tuesday it will acquire the capital stock of a leading Brazilian locomotive component company and make it part of its own rail services division.

Caterpillar said it reached agreement to buy the stock of MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios Ltda. Based in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, MGE is a manufacturer and reconditioner of traction motors, main and auxiliary generators, control equipment and auxiliary components for locomotives and transit cars, the company said in a news release. Also, MGE maintains, modernizes and rebuilds transit cars and locomotives. Customers include various transit authorities and railroads in South America.

MGE will become part of Caterpillar’s Progress Rail Services division established when Caterpillar acquired Progress Rail Co. and made it a subsidiary several years ago.

MGE is a market leader in the Brazilian market for the products and services it provides, the news release said.

Journal Star, Peoria

Mailman attacked by pit bulls

SPRINGFIELD – A mailman was injured Tuesday when two pitbulls attacked him.

The 60-year-old mailman was walking down the sidewalk about 12:45 p.m. and noticed the front door open on one of the houses. There was no screen or window in the storm door, and the next thing the man knew, two pit bulls jumped through the opening, ran toward him and attacked him.

One of the dogs bit the man on the right upper arm, causing him to fall to the ground and his shoulder to separate. The other dog bit him on the inner left thigh. The man fought back, and the dogs ran back into the house.

The mailman was taken by ambulance to Memorial Medical Center, and animal control took custody of the dogs.

Police said the man had no mail for the house where the dogs were; he was simply walking down the sidewalk past the house on his route.

State Journal-Register

Man beats girlfriend, pulls out two of her fingernails

SPRINGFIELD – A woman was hospitalized Sunday after her boyfriend beat her, causing cuts, swelling and the loss of two of her fingernails, which were pulled out “down to the bed” of the nail, police said.

Arrested was Carmichael P. Bennett, 25.

The victim was taken to St. John’s Hospital. Her condition was not available.

Bennett actually was jailed twice Sunday. Just after 3 a.m., police pulled him over at 15th and Cook streets because a passenger was standing through the sunroof of the Cadillac Escalade Bennett was driving. Bennett has a revoked driver’s license, so he was taken to jail.

Bennett’s bail was posted, and he was released a short time later. Just before 8 a.m., police were sent to St. John’s to speak with Bennett’s girlfriend, who said he had beaten her.

Bennett allegedly became angry after finding some men’s phone numbers stored in her cell phone.

Police said there was evidence at the house that corroborated the victim’s account. It was unclear if Bennett pulled out the woman’s nails or if they were pulled out as a result of her trying to defend herself, police said.

Bennett was involved in an exchange of gunfire between the occupants of two cars on July 13, 2002, that resulted in the death of one man and injuries to several others, including a 19-month-old child. Prosecutors said he fired at the other car in self-defense.